NO. 1: DISCUSS THE OPPORTUNITY
Eye care providers report that they discuss multifocal contact lenses with only 9% of their presbyopic patients. When they do, only 15% of practitioners say they present this option enthusiastically.1 However, when presbyopic patients between the ages of 40 and 54 were asked whether they wanted to try contact lenses, 42% said they would be interested.2 Eye care providers should discuss multifocal contact lenses with every presbyope who is a candidate.
NO. 2: UTILIZE FITTING GUIDES
Practitioners should use the fitting guide specific to the contact lens they are fitting. Each contact lens design has nuances that are critical to that specific lens, so it is important to follow the fitting guide with every fit. If a current multifocal contact lens wearer is transitioning from one design to another, be cautious not to simply transfer those powers into the new lens design; instead, follow the fitting guide for that specific design based on the manufacturer’s recommendation.
NO. 3: REVERSE THE ORDER
To measure vision, practitioners typically place contact lenses on a patient’s eyes, wait a given amount of time for them to settle, and then assess distance visual acuity first and near visual acuity second. When it comes to presbyopes, however, practitioners may want to reconsider the order of this process.
A presbyope’s chief complaint is typically the inability to see at near. Knowing this, it may be best to challenge the traditional order of vision measurements and consider having patients look at near targets prior to the distance vision measurements.
The logic behind this is to provide the patient the “win” with multifocal contact lenses first—which is the ability to see the near targets without the need for glasses. Then, after success is demonstrated, measure distance visual acuity binocularly. In the experiences of Drs. Kading and Brujic, this allows patients the opportunity to more easily appreciate the benefits of the lens during the fitting process.
WATCH IT NOW
1. The Soft Multifocal Contact Lens Eyecare Practitioner Usage and Attitude Study. Jobson Optical Research. December 2015.
2. Multi-sponsor Surveys, Inc. 2015 Gallup Study of the U.S. Multi-Focal Contact Lens Market. October 2015; Princeton, New Jersey.
